Attrition and Crowding in the Lengua Indians.
 

C.B. PRESTON, A. JACOBSON (*)), C.B. PEREIRA (**), V.A. BOETTNER. (*)Department of Orthodontics,  University of the Witwatersrand and (**) Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil.

In order to gain a better understanding of the physiology and morphology of dental structures a number of studies of the dentitions of primitive Peoples have been undertaken. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of abrasive di- I lets on the teeth and to correlate the degree of I [attrition with the incidence of crowding. The sample consisted of one hundred male and one hundred female Lengua Indians from the Chaco region of Paraguay. They exist on a diet which has a marked abrasive effect on the teeth. An index similar to that of Pedersen was used to measure occlusal wear. Crowding was assessed by measuring and comparing tooth material with arch space available. All measurements were taken to the nearest 0,5 mm. he teeth of the Lengua Indians show little cervical abrasion, however, occlusal wear is common I land is similar to that seen in the Kalahari Bushman and in the Yanomami Indians of Brazil. There I is a direct correlation between age and occlusal I attrition. In older Indians the occlusal wear I Leads to the establishment of a Villain curve which is most marked in the first molar region. Crowding in the premolar and molar regions is rare but occurs commonly in the incisor and particularly in the lower incisor regions. The incidence of crowding is higher than the 14% reported by Begg For the Australian aborigines, and is closer to the 48% reported in Yanomami Indians.
 

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